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Coming up on this episode of the Hockey Nuts, Steve and I get you caught up with all of the news of the past week around the hockey world. The final 16 playoff teams are starting to come into focus. Several teams have officially punched their playoff tickets, while many others have been mathematically eliminated. College hockey is down to the Frozen Four. We’ll have the details of all this plus the Minor League Hockey Minute, The NCAA hockey minute and our picks of the week

Zdeno Charasigned a $5 million contract for next season with the Boston Bruins on Wednesday. The 41-year-old defenseman, who is the Bruins captain, could have become an unrestricted free agent July 1. He can earn $1.75 million in incentives. Chara has been Bruins captain since 2006-07 after he signed as an unrestricted free agent from the Ottawa Senators on July 1, 2006. The oldest defenseman in the NHL, he has 23 points (seven goals, 16 assists) and a plus-26 rating averaging 23:00 of ice time in 68 games this season. Based on the way Chara played this season, general manager Don Sweeney said he had no qualms about signing him to another contract. Chara is playing the final season of a five-year contract with an average annual value of $7.5 million. Chara, who won the Norris Trophy voted as the NHL’s best defenseman in 2008-09 and the Stanley Cup with Boston in 2010-11, has 627 points (195 goals, 432 assists) in 1,418 games in 20 NHL seasons with the New York Islanders, Senators and Bruins. He was selected by the Islanders in the third round (No. 56) of the 1996 NHL Draft. https://www.capfriendly.com/teams/bruins

Markus Nutivaarasigned a four-year contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday. The 23-year-old defenseman has 22 points (six goals, 16 assists) in 59 games for the Blue Jackets, who selected him in the seventh round (No. 189) of the 2015 NHL Draft. He had seven points (two goals, five assists) and was plus-7 in 66 games as a rookie in 2016-17, and had a goal and an assist in two Stanley Cup Playoff games. Nutivaara signed a two-year entry-level contract with the Blue Jackets in May 2016 after playing two seasons for Karpat in Liiga, Finland’s top professional league.

Matthew Tkachuk and TJ Brodie of the Calgary Flames are likely to be out for the remainder of the season, each with an upper-body injury. Tkachuk, a second-year forward, has missed seven games since he was injured against the New York Islanders on March 11. Brodie, a defenseman who has not skated since being injured against the Vegas Golden Knights on March 18, has missed four games.

Jake Muzzinhas an upper-body injury and is week to week for the Los Angeles Kings. The 29-year-old defenseman left at 2:49 of the second period in a 3-0 win against the Calgary Flames on Monday after he fell awkwardly into the corner on a hit by Flames forward Micheal Ferland. Muzzin has 42 points (eight goals, 34 assists) and is plus-10 with 123 blocked shots in 74 games this season.

Kevin Shattenkirkwill not return to the New York Rangers lineup this season. The 29-year-old defenseman, who hasn’t played since Jan. 18, had surgery to repair a meniscus tear in his left knee Jan. 22.

Nick Folignowill be out 2-4 weeks for the Columbus Blue Jackets with a lower-body injury. The NHL regular season ends April 8, and the Stanley Cup Playoffs begin April 11. Foligno, who was injured in a 2-1 loss to the St. Louis Blues on Saturday, has 33 points (15 goals, 18 assists) in 72 games, including 19 (eight goals, 11 assists) in his past 30. The 30-year-old forward has 400 points (169 goals, 231 assists) in 768 games with the Blue Jackets and Ottawa Senators.

Sean Monahan will miss the rest of the Calgary Flames season because of undisclosed injuries. The 23-year-old center leads the Flames with 31 goals and is second with 64 points, behind forward Johnny Gaudreau, who has 82 points (23 goals, 59 assists).

Mike Greenwill have neck surgery and the Detroit Red Wings defenseman will not play again this season. Green will have surgery on his cervical spine April 5 and will need at least two months to recover. The 32-year-old, who played in the 2018 Honda NHL All-Star Game, can become an unrestricted free agent July 1. He has 33 points (eight goals, 25 assists) in 66 games and missed seven games from Feb. 17-28 with a neck injury. He aggravated the injury in practice Wednesday.

Jason Spezzacould be out for the remainder of the regular season for the Dallas Stars with a back injury. The 34-year-old forward will be evaluated in two weeks; the regular season ends April 8, and the Stanley Cup Playoffs begin April 11. Spezza missed his first game of the season, a 4-3 loss to the Washington Capitals on Tuesday, after leaving the morning skate early. He has 25 points (seven goals, 18 assists) in 72 games.

Jonathan Toewswill miss a few games with an upper-body injury the Chicago Blackhawks center sustained against the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday. The Chicago captain, who left late in the third period of the 5-1 loss to the Avalanche, will be re-evaluated next week, Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said. The 29-year-old’s last shift came with 1:56 remaining.

Brett Pesceand Victor Rask will not play again this season for the Carolina Hurricanes, each because of a shoulder injury. Pesce, a 23-year-old defenseman, has 19 points (three goals, 16 assists) in 65 games. His 2:21 time on ice per game shorthanded is second on the Hurricanes to defenseman Jaccob Slavin (2:40). Pesce played 20:00 in a 7-3 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday. Rask, a 25-year-old center, has 31 points (14 goals, 17 assists) in 71 games this season, after 45 and 48 points the prior two seasons. He played 13:51 Tuesday.

Other Interesting Stories:

The National Hockey League announced Wed. the odds for the 2018 NHL Draft Lottery, which will be held Saturday, April 28 in Toronto. The 2018 NHL Draft Lottery will consist of three drawings: the 1st Lottery Draw will determine the club selecting first overall, the 2nd Lottery Draw will determine the club selecting second overall, and the 3rd Lottery Draw will determine the club selecting third overall. The 15 clubs that do not qualify for the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs, or the clubs that have acquired the first-round picks of those non-playoff clubs, will participate in the 2018 NHL Draft Lottery. The 12 clubs not selected in the 2018 NHL Draft Lottery will be assigned 2018 NHL Draft selections 4 through 15, in inverse order of regular-season points. The 2018 NHL Draft will take place at American Airlines Center in Dallas. The first round will be held Friday, June 22. Rounds 2-7 will take place Saturday, June 23. https://www.nhl.com/news/2018-nhl-draft-lottery-odds-announced/c-297409174

The National Hockey League’s Board of Governors has approved changes to Rule 78.7 (ii) Coach’s Challenge – Goaltender Interference, the League announced Tuesday. The changes were recommended by the NHL’s General Managers at their March Meeting and subsequently approved by the NHL/NHLPA Competition Committee. The updated rule, as written below (with changes underlined), will be implemented for games as of Wednesday, March 28. (ii) Scoring Plays Involving Potential “Interference on the Goalkeeper” (c) The standard for overturning the call in the event of a “GOAL” call on the ice is that the NHL Situation Room (which shall include a former referee in the Officiating Department in the decision-making process), after reviewing any and all available replays and consulting with the Referee who made the original call, determines that the goal should have been disallowed due to “Interference on the Goalkeeper,” as described in Rules 69.1, 69.3 and 69.4. (d) The standard for overturning the call in the event of a “NO GOAL” call on the ice is that the NHL Situation Room (which shall include a former referee in the Officiating Department in the decision-making process), after reviewing any and all available replays and consulting with the Referee who made the original call, determines that the goal on the ice should have been allowed because either: (i) there was no actual contact of any kind initiated by the attacking Player with the goalkeeper; or (ii) the attacking Player was pushed, shoved or fouled by a defending Player causing the attacking Player to come into contact with the goalkeeper; or (iii) the attacking Player’s positioning within the crease did not impair the goalkeeper’s ability to defend his goal and, in fact, had no discernible impact on the play.

The Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy is awarded annually by the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to ice hockey. A player from each team is nominated by the local chapter. Those nominations are being revealed Tuesday. The list will be narrowed to three finalists and a winner will be named at the NHL Awards show in June in Las Vegas. https://www.nhl.com/news/masterton-trophy-2018-nominees-announced/c-297374474

Martin Brodeur and Sean Burke were named as Canada’s co-general managers for the IIHF World Championship on Monday. The tournament will take place in Denmark from May 4-20. Brodeur, 45, the winningest goalie in NHL history (691-397-49 with 105 ties), played all but one of his 22 seasons with the New Jersey Devils; he was a three-time Stanley Cup champion and four-time Vezina Trophy winner. Brodeur helped Canada win the gold medal at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics and the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. Burke, 51, played for nine teams during his 18 NHL seasons, finishing with a record of 324-341-9 with 101 ties. He won a silver medal with Canada at the 1992 Albertville Olympics.

Wayne Huizenga, the founding owner of the Florida Panthers, died Friday at age 80. “The Florida Panthers organization is heartbroken by the news of H. Wayne Huizenga’s passing,” owner Vincent J. Viola said. “Mr. Huizenga’s lifelong commitment to our community, his philanthropy and his entrepreneurial spirit ensure that the Huizenga family legacy will live on in South Florida. I’m continually inspired by Wayne’s example, from his vision and his civic-minded leadership, to his success fostering an environment of on-ice excellence, which continues to have a shaping influence on every step we take in the South Florida community. He will be remembered always by our Panthers family.” Huizenga headed the ownership group that was awarded an expansion franchise by the NHL in 1992. The Panthers started play in the 1993-94 season, going 33-34-17 for 83 points, the most by an NHL expansion team until the Vegas Golden Knights broke the record this season. The Panthers reached the Stanley Cup Final in 1996 but lost in four games to the Colorado Avalanche. Huizenga also helped secure funds for BB&T Center, which has been the Panthers’ home since it opened in 1998. On Jan. 19, the Panthers retired No. 37, Huizenga’s lucky number, in his honor. While owning the Panthers, Huizenga also owned the Miami Dolphins of the NFL and the Florida Marlins of Major League Baseball, making him, for a time, one of the most dominant owners in North American professional sports.

“NHL on NBC” broadcaster Eddie Olczyk announced on the air Thursday that he is cancer-free. “I’m proud to say, final scan after chemo treatment… all the cancer is gone. We beat this thing,” Olczyk said. “I got the call March 14 at 5:07 p.m. that my scans were clear. I never heard a better phrase in my life. Now I’m 10 days on with the rest of my life, and that’s the way I’m looking at it.” The 51-year-old former NHL player was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer Aug. 4. Olczyk was a forward for 16 seasons in the NHL and a member of the 1994 Stanley Cup champion New York Rangers.

Honors/Milestones:

Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid, St. Louis Blues goaltender Jake Allen and Winnipeg Jets left wing Kyle Connor have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” for the week ending March 25. McDavid paced the NHL with five goals and 10 points in four games (5-5-10) to move into first place in the Art Ross Trophy race and propel the Oilers (34-36-6, 74 points) to a 3-0-1 week. Allen went 3-0-0 with a 1.00 goals-against average and .961 save percentage to help the Blues (42 28 5, 89 points) extend their winning streak to five games and move into the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Connor registered 4-2-6, including a pair of overtime goals, in three games as the Jets (46-19-10, 102 points) went 3-0-0 to clinch their third playoff berth in franchise history.

This show is a labor of love for us, but it does cost us money each month to produce. So, we are exploring options to allow you, our listener, to help us cover the costs of producing it. For starters, we have set up affiliate relationships with a couple companies. In the future, we may have more, but for now, you can support us through your purchases at Amazon.com and HockeyMonkey.com (Hockey Monkey is a hockey equipment provider). Your purchases there will not cost you a dime more, but a small percentage of your purchase will come back to us. In order to support us through our affiliates, simply go to our web site at TheHockeyNuts.com, and click on the appropriate affiliate link on the right side of the page. Coming soon: Seatgeek.com

Additionally, we are looking at ways to directly support us through a donation program. For now, if you would like to donate, go to thehockeynuts.com/donate and you will redirected to paypal.

Finally, if you can’t support us financially through one of the programs we just mentioned, you can support us through the following:

Share our show with other hockey fans you know.

If you have the itunes app on your computer or device, subscribe to our show there. It will help us rise up the rankings.

Speaking of itunes, we also encourage you to give us a review on itunes, as it will also help us get noticed more there.

Like, comment, and share our content wherever you see us on various social media pages.

Get involved with the show! We are just a couple hockey fans, and we love interacting with the audience.

Finally, we are looking for guest hosts to come on from time to time. If you feel you can provide more insight on your favorite team or league than we are, let us know! All you would need to join the show is a computer and Skype.

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Coming up on this episode of the Hockey Nuts, Steve and I get you caught up with all of the news of the past week around the hockey world. The final 16 playoff teams are starting to come into focus. A couple teams have officially punched their playoff tickets, while a few others have already been mathematically eliminated. College hockey is entering it’s last and biggest tournament of the season. We’ll have the details of all this plus the Minor League Hockey Minute, The NCAA hockey minute and our picks of the week

Ryan Donato signed a two-year, entry-level contract with the Boston Bruins on Sunday. The 21-year-old forward will join the Bruins in Boston and is eligible to play against the Columbus Blue Jackets at TD Garden on Monday (7 p.m. ET; SN, TVAS, NESN, FS-O, NHL.TV). Donato, who was selected by the Bruins in the second round (No. 56) of the 2014 NHL Draft, completed his junior season at Harvard University on Friday with a loss to Clarkson in the ECAC semifinals. He led Harvard with 26 goals and 43 points in 29 games, was the ECAC player of the year, and is a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award as the top player in NCAA Division I men’s hockey. Donato (6-foot-1, 190 pounds) played for the United States at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics, when he tied for the most goals in the tournament with five in five games. His six points (five goals, one assist) led the U.S.

Ben Bishopwill be out at least two weeks for the Dallas Stars after reinjuring his left knee Sunday in a 4-2 loss to the Winnipeg Jets at Bell MTS Place. The goaltender, who stopped all three shots he faced, left the game at 10:11 of the first period, after appearing to injure his left knee making a glove save on Bryan Little. Bishop (26-17-5, 2.49 goals-against average, .916 save percentage) first injured the knee in a 2-0 loss against the Nashville Predators on March 6 and missed five games. He returned to the Stars lineup for a 3-2 overtime loss against the Ottawa Senators on March 16, and Sunday was his second game back. Kari Lehtonen (12-10-3, 2.46 GAA,.913 save percentage), who replaced Bishop on Sunday, started all five games in Bishop’s most recent absence and was 1-3-1. The Stars recalled forward Curtis McKenzie and goalie Mike McKenna from Texas of the American Hockey League on Monday. McKenzie is 15-9-4 with a 2.69 GAA, and .907 save percentage in 30 AHL appearances.

Noah Hanifinwill be out indefinitely for the Carolina Hurricanes because of a concussion. The 21-year-old defenseman left the third period of a 4-2 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday and did not travel with the Hurricanes for their 4-3 win at the New York Islanders on Sunday. Hanifin has 29 points (eight goals, 21 assists) this season and hadn’t missed a game prior to Sunday.

Dmitry Kulikovhas opted to not have surgery to correct a back injury, Winnipeg Jets coach Paul Maurice said Monday. The 27-year-old defenseman injured his back against the New Jersey Devils on March 8, a reoccurrence of an injury last season with the Buffalo Sabres that limited him to 47 games after he was hit into an open door by Toronto Maple Leafs forward Colin Greening in a preseason game. Maurice said Saturday that Kulikov would have surgery soon and that it would be eight weeks before any further update would be provided. After practice Monday, Maurice said Kulikov decided on a different path to treat his injury. “He had a couple of opinions on his injury, had met with surgeons, and it’s never clearly one way or the other that he should go, so when he met for his final consult, and it’s the player’s choice what he wants to do, he’s going to forego surgery,” Maurice said. “There are other remedies for this, so he didn’t have surgery today. Maurice said that the injury won’t necessarily require surgery eventually. Kulikov has missed five games since the injury occurred. He has 11 points (three goals, eight assists) in 62 games.

Michael Rafflwill be out two weeks for the Philadelphia Flyers with an upper-body injury. The forward left a 6-3 win against the Washington Capitals on Sunday at 14:46 of the second period. He has 19 points (11 goals, eight assists) in 73 games.

Kevin Bieksawill have surgery to remove scar tissue from his left hand Friday and the Anaheim Ducks defenseman will be out 2-5 weeks. The Ducks hope to have Bieksa back for the Stanley Cup Playoffs, which begin April 11. Bieksa has eight assists and is averaging 18:01 of ice time in 59 games this season. Bieksa, 36, is in the final year of a two-year contract extension he signed July 1, 2015 and can become an unrestricted free agent July 1. He has 278 points (63 goals, 215 assists) in 808 NHL games over 13 seasons with the Vancouver Canucks and Ducks.

Malcolm Subbanmade 22 saves for the Vegas Golden Knights, taking over for Marc-Andre Fleury in a 4-1 win against the Vancouver Canucks at T-Mobile Arena on Tuesday. Fleury made seven saves in the first period but did not start the second because of an undisclosed injury. He was hit in the mask by a Brandon Sutter shot 10 minutes into the first. Gallant confirmed the move to bring in Subban was not to give Fleury rest. Fleury has started 21 of the past 22 games.

Ryan Callahanwill not accompany the Tampa Bay Lightning on their two-game road trip after sustaining an upper-body injury against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday. Callahan tangled with Toronto forward Josh Leivo with four minutes left in the first period. He went to the dressing room holding his right shoulder and did not return. Lightning coach Jon Cooper said he was encouraged by Callahan’s presence at practice Wednesday but that the 33-year-old forward needed more evaluation and would not travel for games at the New York Islanders on Thursday.

Winnipeg Jets right wing Patrik Laineleft their game against the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday with a lower-body injury and did not return. Coach Paul Maurice said he does not think the injury is long-term, but fantasy owners of the elite goal-scorer are awaiting a further update for purposes of the fantasy playoffs. Laine (21st in Yahoo) leads the League in goals (18 in 16 games) since Feb. 16, thriving on a line with mostly center Paul Stastny and left wing Nikolaj Ehlers since the 2018 NHL Trade Deadline. Laine ranks second in goals (43) behind Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (44) through 73 games each.

Louis Blues right wing Vladimir Tarasenkowill miss his second-straight game against the Boston Bruins on Wednesday (8 p.m. ET; NBCSN, TVAS, NHL.TV). He did not play against the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday because of an upper-body injury.

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Steven Stamkoshas been fined $5,000, the maximum allowable under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, for a dangerous trip against Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly during NHL Game No. 1127 in Tampa on Tuesday, March 20, the National Hockey League’s Department of Player Safety announced today. The incident occurred at 10:25 of the second period. Stamkos was assessed a minor penalty for elbowing.

Other Interesting Stories:

NHL general managers want to give the final authority on goaltender interference reviews initiated by the coach’s challenge to the Situation Room in Toronto. The on-ice officials have the final authority on these reviews, but they consult with members of the NHL Hockey Operations Department in the Situation Room before deciding to allow or overturn the goal. The League hopes to make an announcement on the potential change in the review process Wednesday, but it is still determining whether it needs approval from other organizations, including the NHL Players’ Association, the NHL Officials Association and the Board of Governors, because it involves a change in playing conditions. The hope is to implement the change immediately. If BOG approval is required, the League needs a unanimous vote of yes to make an in-season change. “What I’m hearing from the managers is they want consistency,” Colin Campbell, NHL senior executive vice president of hockey operations, said Tuesday following Day Two of the General Managers meetings at the Boca Beach Club. “And it’s not who is doing it, it’s that we’ve got five guys in [the Situation Room] that participate in [the review process], two that do 90 percent of them and in the playoffs we’ve got one individual that does them all.” One change being considered is adding recently retired referees to the decision-making process. Kris King, NHL senior vice president of hockey operations, said Monday the Situation Room had strong disagreement with the final decision on only four of the 170 reviews for goaltender interference through 1,100 games this season. https://www.nhl.com/news/nhl-gms-push-to-change-goalie-interference-review/c-297135474 Start after George McPhee interview

The rule for offside, especially as it relates to the coach’s challenge, is expected to be a topic of discussion among NHL general managers during their breakout group sessions on Day 2 of their annual March meetings at the Boca Beach Club on Tuesday. The GMs, who spent their entire session on Day 1 Monday discussing the coach’s challenge for goaltender interference, will break off into separate groups to discuss various aspects of the game, likely including a debate on if the wording of the rule for offside should change to allow for a player to be deemed onside even if his trailing skate is in the air while his front skate is in contact with the ice but over the leading edge of the blue line. https://www.nhl.com/news/nhl-gm-meetings-day-2-discussions/c-297119798

NHL general managers were scheduled to spend 1 1/2 hours discussing goaltender interference on the first day of their meetings Monday. They spent three. They looked at 14 video clips of coach’s challenges. Afterward, reporters were invited to watch five of the same clips on the same screens in the same hotel ballroom. Asked to vote “goal” or “no goal,” sometimes the room was split. “Clear as mud,” senior vice president of hockey operations Kris King said. The takeaway from the exercise: As much as everyone wants clarity and consistency, goaltender interference is not black and white. It’s subjective. When it comes to the most controversial calls, reasonable people disagree. https://www.nhl.com/news/cotsonika-goalie-interference-discussed-at-gm-meetings/c-297103954

Goaltender interference will be decided by officials in the NHL Situation Room in Toronto if a recommended change made by League general managers is approved Wednesday. The rule change would shift final determination on goalie interference away from on-ice officials to the NHL Hockey Operations Department, which would include a member of the NHL Officiating Management Team comprised of former referees. The hope is the rule change will be in place by the end of the regular season. It first needs approval by the NHL Board of Governors and the NHL/NHLPA Competition Committee. The proposal by the GMs makes no changes to the standard under which goaltender interference is judged, and includes no changes to the criteria governing whether on-ice calls should be overturned.

Honors/Milestones:

Louis Blues defenseman Alex Pietrangelo, Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnonand Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Curtis McElhinney have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” for the week ending March 18. Pietrangelo led the NHL with 3-6-9 in four games to power the Blues (39-28-5, 83 points) to a 3-1-0 week and within one point of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. MacKinnon paced the NHL with six goals and ranked second with eight points (6 2-8) in four games as the Avalanche (39-25-8, 86 points) went 3-1-0 to climb into the first Wild Card spot in the Western Conference. McElhinney went 3-0-0 with a 1.57 goals-against average, .955 save percentage and one shutout as the Maple Leafs (43-22-7, 93 points) posted a perfect week to move within two wins of matching the single-season franchise record (reached in 1998-99, 1999-00 and 2003-04).

Go to Bracket Page…

Don Lucia has stepped down as Minnesota’s head coach after a 19-year run that included two national championships, the school announced Tuesday. Lucia, 59, will finish his final season under contract at Minnesota as special assistant to the athletic director through the 2018-19 school year. “Gopher Hockey is not just a college hockey program, it’s a cultural institution in the state of Minnesota, built on more than 90 years of success and tradition. Few have contributed as much to that legacy as Don,” Gophers athletic director Mark Coyle said in a statement. “He knows how much I appreciate everything he has accomplished in his 19 years as head coach, but he and I also agree that it’s time for someone else to lead our program. From his program’s commitment to academic excellence to the banners his teams raised into in our rafters, I can’t thank him enough for what he’s contributed to the success of Gopher Hockey.” Lucia’s the second-winningest active coach of a Division I men’s team at 736-403-102, behind only Boston College coach Jerry York’s 1,053 victories. In 19 seasons at Minnesota, Lucia posted a 457-248-73 mark, in addition to national championships in 2002 and 2003. Lucia’s Minnesota teams won eight league regular-season titles (four in the WCHA, four in the Big Ten) and four playoff titles (three in the WCHA, one in the Big Ten). But the Gophers didn’t qualify for the NCAA tournament in two of his final three seasons and had first-round exits in his last two NCAA appearances, in 2015 and 2017.

This show is a labor of love for us, but it does cost us money each month to produce. So, we are exploring options to allow you, our listener, to help us cover the costs of producing it. For starters, we have set up affiliate relationships with a couple companies. In the future, we may have more, but for now, you can support us through your purchases at Amazon.com and HockeyMonkey.com (Hockey Monkey is a hockey equipment provider). Your purchases there will not cost you a dime more, but a small percentage of your purchase will come back to us. In order to support us through our affiliates, simply go to our web site at TheHockeyNuts.com, and click on the appropriate affiliate link on the right side of the page. Coming soon: Seatgeek.com

Additionally, we are looking at ways to directly support us through a donation program. For now, if you would like to donate, go to thehockeynuts.com/donate and you will redirected to paypal.

Finally, if you can’t support us financially through one of the programs we just mentioned, you can support us through the following:

Share our show with other hockey fans you know.

If you have the itunes app on your computer or device, subscribe to our show there. It will help us rise up the rankings.

Speaking of itunes, we also encourage you to give us a review on itunes, as it will also help us get noticed more there.

Like, comment, and share our content wherever you see us on various social media pages.

Get involved with the show! We are just a couple hockey fans, and we love interacting with the audience.

Finally, we are looking for guest hosts to come on from time to time. If you feel you can provide more insight on your favorite team or league than we are, let us know! All you would need to join the show is a computer and Skype.

Share this:

Coming up on this episode of the Hockey Nuts, Steve and I get you caught up with all of the news of the past week around the hockey world. More teams are falling out of the playoff race, and a couple have already been mathematically eliminated. This past week, there were milestones, injuries, transactions, hockey hair contests, and even a goalie scoring a goal. We’ll have the details of all this plus the Minor League Hockey Minute, The NCAA hockey minute and our picks of the week

Brian MacLellan has signed a contract to remain general manager of the Washington Capitals, the team confirmed Friday. MacLellan, 59, is in the final season of his contract. He was promoted to GM on May 26, 2014, after serving as assistant GM for seven seasons under George McPhee, who was fired after the Capitals failed to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2013-14. Washington has qualified for the playoffs in each of three seasons under MacLellan, winning the Presidents’ Trophy in 2015-16 and 2016-17, but the Capitals have not advanced past the second round of the playoffs since making their lone Stanley Cup Final appearance in 1997-98. Coach Barry Trotz’s future remains unclear. He was hired May 26, 2014, to replace Adam Oates and his contract is due to expire after this season. Trotz, 55, is fifth in NHL history with 750 wins and 1,509 games coached. He is 750-565-134 with 60 ties in 19 NHL seasons, including 193-86-34 in four seasons with the Capitals.

Ron Francis is no longer general manager of the Carolina Hurricanes. Francis will become Hurricanes president of hockey operations, and Carolina will immediately begin a search for a new GM who will report directly to Tom Dundon, who became majority owner Jan. 11. “Since I took control of the team, I’ve had a good chance to be around and assess the operations,” Dundon said. “There are a lot of good people working in the organization, but I feel that a change in direction is needed when it comes to hockey personnel decisions. “Ron is a smart and talented hockey man. I am glad that he will continue to be a part of the team, serving in this new role.” Francis has been Hurricanes GM since 2014, when he was promoted to replace Jim Rutherford. He has been in Carolina management for 12 seasons. Carolina has made the Stanley Cup Playoffs once (2008-09) since winning the Cup in 2005-06. The Hurricanes (29-27-11) trail the Columbus Blue Jackets by four points for the second wild card into the playoffs from the Eastern Conference with 15 games remaining. “We’re just trying to break up the hockey stuff,” he said. “We’re undermanned there. We could stand to continue to evolve, in a good way, to get more throughput.” The following day, Carolina Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon fielded a host of phone calls from media in the aftermath of the announcement Wednesday that the Hurricanes will begin searching for a new general manager after shifting Ron Francis from GM into a new role as president of hockey operations. Dundon, who became Carolina’s majority owner Jan. 11, was aware before those phone calls of the outside perception he wants to be hands-on in all decisions, including those involving hockey operations, and said, “I think short term, it’s probably accurate.” But he said that’s not his long-term plan. “I think it’s appropriate right now that I challenge and question everything we do, so we can get a process that everyone buys into and we’re comfortable with,” Dundon said. “Once we do, I would be less likely to be involved with things that I think are working properly.” Less than two months after taking over, Dundon is far from satisfied with how things are working. “This wasn’t strategic that, ‘Oh, we need to do something.’ This was not that,” Dundon said. “I really hope we start winning. I know the players care. They’re trying. I’m actually happiest about that. They’re frustrated. You’ve got to realize that they work harder than we do and they sacrifice a lot. They care. They’re trying hard. I’m not upset with anybody.” But as far as the long-term structure Dundon is trying to establish, he said he didn’t believe he and Francis, who was in his fourth season as GM, were on the same page. “Over time, he and I just kind of agreed that our styles were such that [team president] would be a better role for him and the organization probably could use more throughout,” Dundon said. “There’s so much to do, it was just a better fit for everybody.” Francis was methodical in rebuilding the Hurricanes through the NHL Draft and smaller trades but wasn’t able to get them into the playoffs. Though Dundon said he and Francis agreed on most things, they didn’t agree on the approach. “I want someone collaborative, someone aggressive, a good fit for how we’re going to go about making decisions,” Dundon said listing the qualities he’d like in the Hurricanes GM. “Someone comfortable with the decision-making process where we take lots of input, and, ultimately, hopefully the decisions are organizational. I think that’s probably what happens in most organizations. “Just someone who’s comfortable acquiring information, whether it’s from scouts and other GMs and other people in the League and their own eye, and putting together a process that we can use to continue to improve the team.” Though Dundon has talked about expanding the Hurricanes analytics staff, he said doesn’t need the GM to be an “analytics guy.” “Because I don’t think that works,” he said. “I think you need a hockey guy that can work with the analytics people to challenge their thoughts. ‘Hey, I think this. Can you show me something that proves or disproves or makes me or less comfortable with what I’ve done?'” Don Waddell, president of Gale Force Sports and Entertainment and in charge of business operations for the Hurricanes and PNC Arena, will lead the GM search, Dundon said, with input from him and Francis. Dundon said he values Francis’ opinion and knowledge and will continue to utilize him as an asset. “I know I want his opinions, and this isn’t about whether I think he’s smart and has good judgment,” he said. “It’s just about the right fit on a day-to-day basis. If you think about it, you’ve got a guy that’s been doing it a certain way and then I show up and I’ve got a different way. That’s harder than someone new coming in knowing, ‘Here’s how it’s going to be. Are you comfortable with that?’ It’s that simple.” As for coach Bill Peters, Dundon said, “I think he’s doing a fine job. We’re just not getting the results.” But Dundon acknowledged the new GM will have a say in whether Peters returns next season. “I’d be lying if I said the new GM wouldn’t have a vote,” Dundon said. “That wouldn’t be fair to bring in a new GM and not give him a vote. By the way, Bill gets a vote too. Bill gets to decide if he wants to be here. But I like him.”

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Steve Masonhad arthroscopic surgery on his knee Monday and is expected to be sidelined 2-3 weeks, coach Paul Maurice said. Mason missed 21 games with an upper-body injury before returning to play against the New York Rangers on March 6. Despite injuring his knee during that game, Mason made 31 saves to post his 34th career shutout in a 3-0 victory.

Buffalo Sabres forward Kyle Okposowill be out indefinitely because of a concussion. Okposo was injured in a collision with Ottawa Senators forward Bobby Ryan during the second period of the Sabres’ 4-3 shootout win Thursday. Okposo, 29, was hospitalized in March 2017 with what he later described as complications from medication used after being treated for a concussion. Okposo, in the second season of a seven-year contract he signed with Buffalo as an unrestricted free agent, has 38 points (11 goals, 27 assists) in 65 games this season.

Bryan Rusthas a concussion and is out indefinitely for the Pittsburgh Penguins. The forward was injured on a hit into the end boards by Robert Hagg of the Philadelphia Flyers at 8:28 of the first period of a 5-2 win Wednesday. Rust has 33 points (10 goals, 23 assists) in 57 games this season, including 14 points (six goals, eight assists) in 17 games since the All-Star break.

Martin Hanzalwill have spinal fusion surgery in the coming days and could miss the start of next season for the Dallas Stars. The recovery time for the surgery is 6-7 months, Stars general manager Jim Nill said Friday. Hanzal had 10 points (five goals, five assists) in 38 games this season. The 31-year-old center has missed 29 games because of injury. Nill said Hanzal’s initial injury occurred in late November. He had three injection treatments to try to play through the pain. “It was just something that slowly came upon and it kind of got worse and worse,” Nill said. “He was getting these injections to try to manage it and it finally got the point where the injections didn’t help anymore.” Hanzal has a history of back injuries. He had surgery to repair a herniated disk in July 2008 and another back surgery in February 2015.

Carter Huttonwill not play for the St. Louis Blues against the San Jose Sharks on Thursday after the goaltender injured his neck. Jake Allen will start with Ben Wexler as an emergency backup at SAP Center. Hutton was 1-2-2 in his past six starts, allowing 16 goals. Allen has not won since Feb. 9 (0-4-0 in five games). Wexler, 23, played 26 games over three seasons at the University of Illinois from 2014-17. The Blues recalled goaltender Ville Husso from San Antonio of the American Hockey League under emergency conditions. He will join St. Louis for their game Saturday against the Los Angeles Kings.

Jared Spurgeonis out four weeks with a partial tear of his right hamstring. The Minnesota Wild defenseman was injured in the third period of a 5-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday. He appeared to lose an edge playing the puck and his legs split before he fell into the boards. Spurgeon has 37 points (nine goals, 28 assists) in 61 games this season. The 28-year-old ranks second on the Wild at 24:33 per game, behind defenseman Ryan Suter (26:46). Spurgeon’s 13 power-play points (three goals, 10 assists) are second among Wild defensemen behind Suter’s 21 (one goal, 20 assists).

Erik Gudbransonhas been removed from the Vancouver Canucks’ active roster to have shoulder surgery and is expected to be out for the season. The defenseman injured his left shoulder during a game against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Nov. 22 and missed 12 games before returning Dec. 19 and playing 31 more. The Canucks said in a statement that treatment and rehabilitation allowed Gudbranson to play, but that the 26-year-old decided to have surgery after consulting with the Vancouver medical staff. Gudbranson had two goals, three assists and a minus-7 rating in 52 games this season. He had been part of the Canucks’ top defense pair with Alexander Edler off and on since early February after starting the season playing mostly on the third pair.

Oscar Klefbomwill have season-ending surgery on his left shoulder but the defenseman will continue to play for the Edmonton Oilers until the procedure is scheduled. Klefbom will return to the lineup against the San Jose Sharks at Rogers Place on Wednesday (9:30 p.m. ET; SN1, SNW, NBCSCA, NHL.TV) after missing the past two games assessing the injury. He had exploratory surgery last week to determine the extent of the damage to his shoulder, which has been problematic all season. “The procedure he had allowed him to digest some information and make a decision about what he’ll do moving forward,” Oilers coach Todd McLellan said. “He will have a cleanup done. It will happen as early as next week. All the details have to be sorted out. Once he gets the procedure done he will not finish the year. But he’s come to us and said he wants to play between now and then, and we’re all for it.” Klefbom, 24, has played the past five seasons with Edmonton. He has 19 points (four goals, 15 assists) in 63 games this season.

Calle Jarnkrokwill miss the rest of the regular season for the Nashville Predators with an upper-body injury. The 26-year-old center was injured after a hit from Winnipeg Jets forward Andrew Copp in the third period of the Predators’ 3-1 win Tuesday and did not return. Jarnkrok has 35 points (16 goals, 19 assists) in 68 games this season.

Arizona Coyotes defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larssonhas been fined $5,000, the maximum allowable under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, for slashing Colorado Avalanche forward Sven Andrighetto during NHL Game No. 1052 on 3/10 in Denver, the National Hockey League’s Department of Player Safety announced. The incident occurred at 13:54 of the third period. Ekman-Larsson was assessed minor penalties for slashing and cross-checking on the play.

Arizona Coyotes forward Nick Cousinshas been fined $2,000 as supplementary discipline under NHL Rule 64 (Diving/Embellishment), the National Hockey League announced 3/9. Cousins was issued a Warning following an incident flagged by NHL Hockey Operations during NHL Game No. 627 against the Nashville Predators on Jan. 4. His second Citation, which triggered the $2,000 fine, was issued for an incident at 13:42 of the second period during NHL Game No. 988 against the Minnesota Wild on March 1. Cousins (embellishment) and Minnesota defenseman Nick Seeler(interference) received offsetting minor penalties on the play.

Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchandhas been fined $2,000 as supplementary discipline under NHL Rule 64 (Diving/Embellishment), the National Hockey League announced 3/9. Marchand was issued a Warning following an incident flagged by NHL Hockey Operations during NHL Game No. 377 against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Nov. 29. His second Citation, which triggered the $2,000 fine, was issued for an incident at 5:38 of the second period during NHL Game No. 983 against the Pittsburgh Penguins on March 1. Marchand (embellishment) and Penguins defenseman Olli Maatta(tripping) received offsetting minor penalties on the play.

Boston Bruins forward David Backeshas been suspended for three games, without pay, for interference against Detroit Red Wings forward Frans Nielsen during NHL Game No. 1020 in Boston on Tuesday, March 6, the National Hockey League’s Department of Player Safety announced Thu. The incident occurred at 19:44 of the first period. Backes was assessed a minor penalty for roughing. Under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and, based on his average annual salary, Backes will forfeit $96,774.18.

Other Interesting Stories:

Arizona Coyotes coach Rick Tocchet is taking a leave of absence to deal with a family illness. “Family comes first,” Coyotes general manager John Chayka said in a statement. “Our thoughts and prayers are with [Tocchet] as he deals with this personal matter. It’s important that he takes the time to be there with his family.” John MacLean, named a Coyotes assistant on July 26, will serve as coach until Tocchet returns. The Coyotes, who have a 22-35-11 record in Tocchet’s first season, are 4-1-1 in their past six games and 10-3-2 in their past 15, including a 1-0 win against the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday. Goaltender Michael Hutchinson was called up from Manitoba of the American Hockey League on March 8 and will back up Connor Hellebuyck when the Jets face the Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena on Monday.

Alex Nedeljkovic just won’t stop scoring goals. The Carolina Hurricanes prospect scored his second goal in as many seasons, this time shooting the puck into an empty net for Charlotte of the American Hockey League in its 7-3 win against Hartford. With Charlotte ahead 6-3 and about two minutes remaining, Nedeljkovic fielded a dump-in and shot the puck down the ice and into an empty net, whipping the crowd at Bojangles’ Coliseum into a frenzy. He skated to the bench to celebrate, where his teammates and coaches mobbed him. “I was ecstatic,” Nedeljkovic told the Checkers website. “The only thing I wanted to take from [scoring last season] was just to go to the bench and celebrate with those guys, because I didn’t do that last year. When I saw [the puck] was going in, I jumped and I was throwing my hands in the air. I was like a little kid again.” It was Nedeljkovic’s first goal in the AHL, but he scored for Florida of the ECHL last season and became the 12th goalie to score in that league’s history. Nedeljkovic joined Ron Hextall, Martin Brodeur, Chris Mason and Mike Smith as goalies with multiple goals in a North American professional hockey game.

It all began with a promise. Not long before Terry Saik died of colon cancer in 1991, he made a request of his son, Dr. Brent Saik. “He told me to keep kids out of the Cross,” said Brent Saik, the 49-year-old optometrist for the Edmonton Oilers, referring to the Cross Cancer Institute in Edmonton. “He knew his time was up but he wanted me to try to keep them out of hospital.” Saik promised to do so, and it has tested his resolve more than he or anyone close to him could have ever expected. After organizing a few baseball and golf tournaments to begin fulfilling that promise, Saik got the idea to raise funds by breaking the record for the world’s longest hockey game. That was 15 years ago, and in that time he has organized and played in six versions of an event — the most recent having been held Feb. 9-19 — that is glorious and grueling, a celebration of hockey, charity and the human spirit. An outdoor event that tests the will of the 40 players who lace up their skates and take the ice for 11 days, practically playing 24/7, all to help others. This year, $1.2 million has been raised with a goal to reach $2 million to help the Alberta Cancer Foundation and the Cross Cancer Institute establish the PROFYLE program in Alberta (it is already in place in other provinces). PROFYLE, started by the Terry Fox Foundation, aims to give children, adolescents and young adults who are out of conventional treatment options another chance to beat cancer by documenting and sharing a molecular profile of their tumors. This year, the 40 participants played for 251 hours, 9 minutes on Saik’s property, known as Saiker’s Acres, east of the Edmonton suburb of Sherwood Park, where the game has been held since 2008. That is longer than the total of 250 hours, 37 minutes, 7 seconds achieved indoors by a cancer fundraising group in Buffalo from June 22-July 3. A real game with regular hockey rules and four on-ice officials must be played with two teams of 20 players. Five skaters and a goalie must be in play at all times for each team, and a video feed must be provided to Guinness officials. Once the game starts, no participant may leave the property until it’s finished. If someone is injured and can’t continue, no substitutes are allowed. Each player must be photographed on the ice at the beginning and end of the game. The ice may be cleaned and resurfaced for 10 minutes after every hour of continuous play. All of that dictates a schedule for the players that involves four-, five-, or six-hour shifts on duty, alternating with rest and sleeping periods. Most days, each player will play between 14 and 16 hours. For the record, the red team to a 1,830-1,691 win against the white/yellow team. https://www.nhl.com/news/worlds-longest-hockey-game-record-setting-cancer-fundraiser/c-296746420

We’re on a mission and looking for the best EA SPORTS NHL 18 gamers. Bragging rights, a $100K cash prize pool, tickets to the 2018 NHL Awards and capturing the Championship Trophy in Las Vegas are all up for grabs when the National Hockey League crowns its first-ever esports champion in June. Today, the NHL announced that registration for the 2018 NHL Gaming World Championship, an esports bracket-style tournament, is now open. Players can register here.

Honors/Milestones:

Alex Ovechkin scored his 60th NHL goal for the Washington Capitals on Monday. The 32-year-old forward scored twice in a 3-2 overtime win against the Winnipeg Jets to become the 20th player and the only active player in the NHL to score 600. Ovechkin is the fourth player to do it in fewer than 1,000 games (990), joining Wayne Gretzky (718), Mario Lemieux (719) and Brett Hull (900).

Marc-Andre Fleurymade 38 saves for the Vegas Golden Knights to earn his 400th NHL victory, 3-2 against the Philadelphia Flyers at Wells Fargo Center on Monday. Fleury is the 13th goaltender with 400 wins, and third active, joining Roberto Luongo of the Florida Panthers (467) and Henrik Lundqvist of the New York Rangers (430).

Winnipeg Jets right wing Patrik Laine, Boston Bruins left wing Brad Marchand and Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” for the week ending March 11. Laine led the NHL with five goals in three games to propel the Jets (41-18-9, 91 points) to a 2-1-0 week. Marchand paced the NHL with 4-4-8 in three games as the Bruins (43-16-8, 94 points) earned three wins in four contests. Malkin ranked second in the NHL with 3-5-8 in four games to lift the Penguins (40-26-4, 84 points) to a 3-1-0 week and back into first place in the Metropolitan Division.

The Vegas Golden Knights broke the NHL record for most road wins by a first-season team with a 2-1 shootout victory against the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center on Saturday. Deryk Engelland scored, and Marc-Andre Fleury made 31 saves for the Golden Knights (44-19-5), who passed the 1993-94 Mighty Ducks of Anaheim with their 20th road win. Vegas leads the San Jose Sharks by 12 points for first place in the Pacific Division.

Add award-winning comedian to K. Subban‘s growing list of accomplishments. The Nashville Predators defenseman took home a Canadian Screen Award for his hosting performance in “P.K. Subban: Shots Fired” at the Just For Laughs comedy festival in Montreal last year. Subban was victorious in the best variety or entertainment special category at the sixth-annual show. He was part comedian and part emcee, telling jokes and introducing comedians during the one-hour show that took place Aug. 1, 2016, less than five weeks after the Predators acquired him from the Montreal Canadiens for Shea Weber. The show originally aired on CBC on Jan. 2, 2017.

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